Lawsuit filed against Pinewood Prep

Jim Tatum

Monday, December 12, 2011

The first lawsuit connected to the multiple arrests of former teacher and coach Louis “Skip” ReVille has been filed against Pinewood Preparatory School in Summerville.
According to a press release from Motley Rice LLC, the suit was filed Monday against Pinewood Preparatory School and its former headmaster Glyn Cowlishaw.
According to the release, the suit has been filed on behalf of an alleged sexual abuse victim of ReVille, who faces multiple criminal charges for allegedly sexually abusing a number of male students across the lowcountry.
According to the release, the anonymous victim known currently as “John Doe” alleges that from 2004 until ReVille left Pinewood Prep, ReVille subjected him to sexually abusive behaviors numerous times. At that time Doe was a middle school student.
Doe vs. Pinewood Preparatory School and Glyn Cowlishaw Case No. 11-CP-18-02510 alleges that the school and Cowlishaw breached their duty of care and committed gross negligence in the hiring, supervision and retention of ReVille as a teacher and coach, according to the press release. The filing also claims civil conspiracy.
ReVille has identified Doe as one of his victims to criminal investigators, according to the release.
Pinewood Preparatory School has stated that the school did perform a background check on ReVille for his employment and that no negative information or criminal history was revealed, nor was there ever any report of such behaviors by ReVille brought to the school's attention.
However, attorneys for Doe maintain that the school acted irresponsibly.
“We believe that the defendants’ reckless oversight and irresponsible silence allowed ReVille to be in numerous situations during his employment that enabled his sexually abusive behavior,” said Marlon Kimpson, a lawyer on Doe’s legal team. “We expect schools and their leaders to protect the children in their care by providing them a safe environment. We allege that did not happen here.”
“In our opinion, silence among the adults at Pinewood Prep about ReVille’s behavior allowed him to continue to operate unchecked in our community,” Laura Khare, an attorney on Doe’s legal team. “Our goal is to help our client begin to heal and prevent similar tragedies. We believe there is additional information about ReVille’s actions in the community and encourage anyone with more information to come forward.”
ReVille held multiple teaching, coaching and volunteer positions with schools and organizations throughout the lowcountry, including The Citadel, Coastal Christian Preparatory School, Bishop England High School, Moultrie Middle School, Rollings Middle School, Mt. Pleasant Recreation Department, Velocity Sports Performance and Eastbridge Presbyterian Church.
Doe seeks actual and consequential damages as well as punitive damages to halt and deter such conduct from occurring again in the future, according to the release.

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